Tuesday, May 24, 2005

The last free political forum - closed

Mukabaraat agents have closed the last remaining dissident political group in Syria - the Jamal Atassi forum - by arresting its eight leaders.

The arrest comes just days after one of the men read a statement in the name of the Al-Qaeda-linked 'Muslim Brotherhood' at an Atassi meeting.

The forums sprung up when President Bashar Al-Assad came to power in 2000. That period of growing political freedoms was called the 'Damascus spring'. Independent newspapers, dissenting politics, criticism of the government, and even open political groups - the 'forums' - were permitted until the security services felt their authority was being challenged. They slowly started clamping down, against the will of the President, in 2002.

Bashar still talks of reform, and the current 'hands off' period is starting to be called the second spring. It'll cumulate - say Western diplomats and analysts - with radical reforms at the Baath Party conference in June (the first conference since Bashar came to power). Others are more sceptical.

That's why the closure of the Jamal Atassi group seems so surprising - or maybe just a last gasp of the old guard? Ammar Qurabi of the Arab Organisation of Human Rights holds out hope that the closure and arrests are just an investigation.

Do u have any proof or article or something lik that to prove that the crack down on the spring was "against the presidenet's will"?I heard that the regime wanted to get rid off any possible threat from muslim brothers, so many were handed over to US after 11 sept in name of fighting terror..but they had nothing to do with bin laden or alQaeda.. Do u have any info or article or something like that showing that Syrian muslim brothers have something to do with alQaeda??They did use violence in Syria before..but they recently claim that it was wrong, that they don't want anything to do with it anymore etc..And also said (and that I know for sure is true) others (regime) used, and still is, using violence against citizens.I do not like MB at all..But I think some info here are not at all so sure about them!Just to be fair and true..

It's a generally accepted opinion amoungst analysts that there is an old guard and a reformist movement within government. The security services and the weak army fall into the first group, and the technocratic ministries fall into the second group.

The two groups have been jostling for power, and have been compromising and tugging since 2000.

The Muslim Brotherhood's protestations that violence is wrong is a judegment call. That's up to you whether you believe it or not. Incredibly opportunistic though isn't it.

As for the connection between Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood, I don't know where to start! So let's start here: Ayman Al-Zawarhari, known as Bin Laden's deputy, was originally in the Muslim Brotherhood (and Bin Laden was also connected too). Many MB members fought against Russia in Afghanistan - before the word 'Al-Qaeda' was even invented.

And what about here. Al-Qaeda was founded on the ideology of a man called Abdullah Azzam - a senior figure in the Brotherhood.

When a fox tells you it wont eat you, do you stop and listen, or do you run like mad?

But most of the people here are poor, and simple when it comes to knowledge and political thinking (and guess who's fault that is when many are so poor and huge unimaginable amount of money go to -get stolen from the state by corruptin- private acounts in swiss bancs) ,and they are simple, have not much education and beleive god is the solution. Islam! So..the MB will always be quite popular unless REAL fight for reformes and against corruption are done. MB is most popular in poor undevelopted areas. And there are many moderate muslims too so not every one who like Islam in politics are a terorist.And so far..we have to at least listen to what they say, no harm in that. And by the way..I think no way the arrests were only because of the message from MB, it was just the official reason they want to justify it with..They are so scared now they are aresting many people, like in the 80s. human rights activsts too and anyone at all who are the least independent.And also by the way, president Bashar him self warned and had a quite angry threatening tone against The spring's people, in magazines and newspapers..Also don't forget Seif is in prison cause he talked about the many many millions and millions of dollars Syria would loose (and did loose!)with the very corrupted deal of Syriatel, and that was owned and run by...Makhlouf!( is he one of the "new" guards? he is young .. )How can the president stop corruption when it is his close family behind a huge part of it?? ( better delete this after u read it )

if the MB need the american tanks to rumble into Damascus to become legit shame on them during the late seventies they assacinated many university teachers because of thier ethnic backgroud or religois affiliation,the MB do not deserve to be legal in syria aparty which can not attract all syrian because of spesific religius afiliaion is not a party that can lead all syrins with defferent ethnic and religous affiliations.

I'd like to put some questionmarks with the 'against the president's will' concerning the end of Damascus spring. Bashar is generally perceived as a reformer, yes, but a moderate form of it. Putting the elite-conflict in two camps of the old guard and the new reformers is not correct. Bashar can be put in a group in between, realizing the urgent need for reform, but not willing to take this up to the political level. This is exactly against his power position. On top of this, isn't it so that a bottom-up strategy with proposals coming from society just isn't acceptable for the B'ath-skilled president?

Indeed, the June conference is something to look forward to, but I doubt if the reforms proposed will be that radical, departing from the historical account.

When Bashar came to power there were question marks over just how Ba'athi he really was. He doesn't come from that political tradition, and all the signs are that his political sympathies lie elsewhere. Whether or not the reforms go through is not a sign of his political will, but of the strength of the anti-reform movement.

I also don't agree that the arrests are symbolic - what about the large-scale prison releases. There are two things going on at the same time, the situation is very confused. I'd like to say, hey look at the releases, this is positive. But at the same time others could say, no, look at the reformers who are bign arrested. It is far too early to decide whether this means anything politically.

If the recent people arrested aren't released soon, we'll know something is moving in the wrong direction, but I think it's important to isolate Syria's fear of the MB from Syria's slow pace of reform.

What do you see then as such important signs of his reform mind? From an outsider perspective I'm inclined to agree with influential Syria writers as Volker Perthes and Alan George who doubt this will to reform and support to a more or less degree the thesis of 'power corrupts' in the case of Bashar.

Thank you for your comment Michael. You just have to look at how easy Syrians can talk now, compare it to 5 years ago before Bashar. There is no doubt that Hafez Al-Assad was repressive, calculating and brutal. It's difficult to say the same about Bashar.

You ask for evidence of his reforms, well look at how the press was freed, how political forums were legalised (and encouraged), how the economy was opened (only to be 'bought' soon afterwards) and how peace talks were an instant priority.

ALso look at how Bashar is demilitarising the government. The army has less power by the day, and militarists hold less sway in the government. Have a look at Josh Landis's writing on this issue. And Sami Mobayid.

Alan George's writing on Syria is interesting. The feeling I get when I've put points to him is that he has an understanding of a situation, and fishes for examples to validate it. In a sense he finds 'a truth' and then looks for evidence. I'm sure we all do it to some extent, but it's just so obvious in his case that 'Neither Bread nor Freedom' doesn't hold sway with me. (As a sidebar, I also used to work with two of his colleagues!).

Brian Whitaker's equally scathing of the Syrian government (including Bashar), but I (grudingly, sometimes) see truth in a lot of what he says.

Syria's not a place that you can understand by two week visits. Trust Whitaker, or even better - Josh Landis!

i do not know the Attasy group but it seems to me that with aplatform like yours who needs these groups to discuss solutions to syrias problems most of us are more educated than them and we do not use our family names to get legitemecy syria is afraid of asituation like iraq jordon saidiarabia or even lebanon syria needs evolution not revolution and violece if power changes with force violence will erupt,i think we should give DR Bashar a chance at reform by expressing our support all the way to free ideas based ,not family or ethnic or reigous based elections ,God Bless Syria.

Where do people come with the idea that Bashar is demilitarizing the government??? Nothing of the sort. Surely you don't believe it just because Landis mentioned it? He is full of contradictions, many posts don't make sense and say the contrary of things he said before, so I wouldn't count him as a source that really knows what is going on in Syria, let alone understand it.

Syria is very much still under the thumb of the army and the intelligence, which are the pillars of support of this regime. The Baath party, in contrast, is a shell.

I dont know one brotherhood syrian scholar linked to al qaida...most of them are well educated and academicians and belong to the best syrian families.sadate and abdelnasser were also members of the brotherhood ,is that logic to say that they were linked to the brotherhood?that's what the alawite regime is trying to propose to israel and usa ,let us to work for a new deal in exchange to remain in the power because the only alternative to us are al qaida likes...The crackdown prove the anxiety of the alawite moukhabarat officiers and their end is near inshallah.

one wrote=I think the Atassi group arrests show that no matter how politically liberal Syria becomes, the Muslim Brotherhood will never be welcome. Until American tanks roll into Damascus.ezzedine qassam the great shahid,hamas are all ekhwan ,the best arab milicia in the israeli arab war of 1948 was the brotherhood army...sheikh azzam was in dispute with ben laden and was always faithful to ahmad shah massoud ,foe of al qaida.are u blind or what,do u know that many officials of al baath are holder of western nationalities ,the chief of staff of hafez assad is american citizen,and their billions are in european and american banks....and they dont care about ur history ,the trade of syrian antiquities is on of their most lucrative business...their only objective is to remain in power....at any price.Are u proud of Makhlouf ,Jamil al Assad ,Assef Shawqat,Bashar al Assad ,Rifaat Assad ????

one wrote=the MB do not deserve to be legal in syria aparty which can not attract all syrian because of spesific religius afiliaion is not a party that can lead all syrins with defferent ethnic and religous affiliations.____-

Look ,they use pan arabist baath ideology as cover but in reality it's an extremist sectarian regime.....100% of the top officiers(with effective power not the pawns like tlass or turkomani) and moukhabarat heads all of them belong to the alawite minority when they are less than 10% in Syria.

True the top-ranking officials are still Alawi...in the security services. But in the Baath party? Absolutely not. The Syrian Baath has consistently been pan-ethnic, even incorporating Kurds. The top Syrian Ambassador isn't even a member of the party (the one in Washington). So it's wrong to say that: (a) the Baath Party is an Alawite club, and (b) the Baath Party 'is' Syrian politics.

I hear what you're saying about the MB. True, hatred for Muslim extreme politics is one of the few things that binds Syria and the US. And true, Syria will want to show the US how good it is at cracking down on the MB. But the MB don't believe in secular politics - they want some kind of role for religion in government. And I think that most Syrians - regardeless of how religious they are - don't want religion and politics to mix.

Thanks Anonymous for the interesting report on the scientists in Syrian jails. But that was written in 1993. The Syria of 1993 is a world away from 2005 in every possible sense!

Analysts say there are less than 600 political prisoners left in Syria - with the rest due to be released this summer.

Compare that to Egypt, which has - at the last estimate - anywhere between 16,000 and 40,000 political prisoners.

The Syrian judicial system is full of holes. In fact its a mess. But political imprisonment will hopefully become a thing of the past here very soon.

To all the anonymouses! The Atassi group has closed, but a thousand more will spring up in its wake. The Syrian News Wire is here to stay!

To have a blog with anonymous name-out of fear, is not a political spring or even flower!And it will acheive nothing for human rights! There are real Syrians of flesh and blood in jails risking their lives doing that!And the nr of political prisoners in Syria now is at least 2000 not less!!Read latest reports, u can surly find some on aljaeera for example. the year 2005 is a yeay where we have internet and some other luxury for upper middleclasss and higher, like mobilephones..And Syria lost huge money on corrupted deals about that to the president's close relativ : makhlouf!no other real difference from year 1993. The spring is in jail being tortured!!And Egypt is a country where you can find articles and newspappers sold in public, critisizing the regime and the president who IS the symbol of it( same thing here..same bloody bel roh bel dam) and also where demonstrators are saying enough, la lil tawrith la lil tamdid..Would anyone dare to day that here???!!, would any one dare to say la lil tawrith in the face of pictures of Bashar's son ("al amal" as the picture says)??! And demonstrate on streets shouting "enough corruption"??!In Egypt some people are awake and deserve better, but here alot seem to still want to worship "the leader"Spring can come-when people finally go on the streets and put criminals to jail instead of their palaces. Even an allawie loyal army can't stand in the way and kill all 15 millions Syrians if we decide we deserve better and will our selves take our rights instead of waiting for god ( who is the leader and his pictures) to be merciful and show us some of them! and that it's enough.

i am one of these anonymous and that is not because i am afraid for anybody to know my name but is because it is easier to post acommet without long sign in most problems that syria has are because the syrian gov don not know how to make things better not because they do not want to syrians need to show the wourld how mutch they care about improving thier country,by doing for syria not badmouthing her.

35 years of assad regime destroyed secularism in Syria...when there was a political life in Syria 50 years ago..Syria was a the top of the arab countries with the best universities in the arab world,the second richest country in the region,more than 100 newspapers...a syrian christian succeed to be elected twice as prime minister in a 75% sunni moslem country...the brotherhood respected the political game and even included christians in their electoral lists in aleppo and hama....but now as reaction against assad provovation no one can ignore the power of islamism in Syria....sooner or later they will be in the power ,look at turkey ,after 70 years of brutal secularism ,the turks opted for the islamist prime minister Recep Tayeb Erdogan...the americans are now more realistic and are ready to ccoperate with moderate islamic parties and among them the brotherhood...It's a wrong step to justify a crime by an another..nevertheless there are more than 15 000 missing syrians ...and 2000 known political prisoners in Syria...btw most of the members of al Atassi forum are communists no one of them is religious..i dont know why u persist to believe the regime propaganda ...as for the baath....99% of baath members are not members for ideological reasons ,assad destroyed baathism and replaced it by the cult of personality and most of them are baathists by interests..baathism is used as cover to hide the absolutist sectarian nature of the regime.

to anonymous 5:21Almost No one in Syria would dare to be not anonymous and HAVING a blog where u say your whole name and maybe more(adress)..and critiseize the regimOh so that's why we are in a such bad state? THe POOR rulers just don't KNOW what to do, they would have otherwise??!Well robbing millions and millions of dollars from mobile phone deals, taxes on private cars, Syrian oil and more..into their swiss bancacounts certainly is a good try! and imprisonening any one who dares to critisize or write an independent article about that or defend human rights, all that are surly in the great interest of Syria!And anyone who says anything, complain about corruption, discriminatiom, violence THEY in their dangerous words are the ones hurting Syria by talking bad about it, better to have a rotten country but talk about as it if it was paradise than have a futur of better country by demanding more, because it would sound bad and people might think Syria is not such a paradise and the millions of people all over the world would stop visiting Syrian embassies to desperatly demand Syrian green cards to enjoy living in one of the most advanced countries in the world with great respect of human rights and so on!!!??

Maybe the reason people are on the streets calling for Mubarak to go, and the reason that people aren't scared in Egypt despite 10,000 political prisoners is because they are dying of hunger.

We seem to forget the situation is so desperate in Egypt, far more so than Syria. There are people on the streets of Cairo who moved from farms in the countryside, they have nothing to do in Cairo. Their President isn't bothered about his people, he's too busy arranging conferences and meeting foreign presidents. Of course Syria isn't perfect, but at least we have someone with the will to change our situation. Stop living in fantasy land, the MB aren't going to help you, the communists aren't going to help you.

Sometimes it feels like Syrians don't know Syria. You wont go to prison for writing on this blog!! Believe me, I am the author and I'm not in jail, and I am known well enough to be taken off the net if they want.

The number of political prisoners was 600 in December last year. What Syria are you talking about?

Yes it seems it is cause people don't know Syria!http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9480A90A-CF06-4AAC-A8DA-38F0C06DAF52.htmand also http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/545B63AC-72A6-4B0E-AC3F-D249CF58B276.htmNo MB in the power does not sound attractive at all to my, and I don't want a coummist country either!But they have never tried now have they?I am sure I would not like them but to be fair u can't see how bad they will rule when u never saw them even try. And well certainly Baathists have not succeded I tell u that! And Maklouf, Hafez Assad, Jamil assad,and all the gang of Assads, khadam, Tlas, have robbed the country. If people here woul gather and say what kefaya have said, the same words, they would be killed directly. Here it's suicide!In Egypt it's hard..but light years away from here. The juges and even professors in school there dared to challange the regime and responded to kefaya..Never possible here cause much less independency and more absolut controll and power and fear.Would u dare have your full real name here on this blog, and critisize alawits dominance over power , corruption of makhlouf and Assad family, violence of all mukhabarat headcheifs, and the president, and go on a meeting with someone (like a blog meeting)?

I haven't criticised the 'Alawi dominance' because that's not my obsession. I think some sectarian forces would like to make that Syria's problem. There wasa meeting of all the Syrian bloggers just days ago, everyone is known to the Mukhabaraat, and as for me - my friend, I am a journalist! If the Ministry of Information don't know what colour pyjamas I wear, I will be surprised!

The MB have a proven track record in this country. To say they are untested is ridiculous. To blame the government for all of Syria's ills is just as crazy as saying Israel is responsible for all the world's problems.

one wrote I haven't criticised the 'Alawi dominance' because that's not my obsession. I think some sectarian forces would like to make that Syria's problem

but u have to accept that there are syrians ,and they are the big majority who suffered of genocide,spoliation,tortures...do u know a country with children in jail?and it's their rights to ask for justice and freedom.

The israelis are not motivate to sign the peace with bashar ,he belong to a small minority ,more than 90% of the syrians are not alawites.It's a precious card in the israeli hands ,they prefet to wait a regime change in favor of the majority then they will discuss with a representative syrian government.It's true that assad ensured the best security for israel in al Golan and killed more palestinian than sharon and shamir did....but peace it's a long term investment.

One wrote =Maybe the reason people are on the streets calling for Mubarak to go, and the reason that people aren't scared in Egypt despite 10,000 political prisoners is because they are dying of hunger.

I Egypt they have one makhlouf ,in Syria we have 1000's of makhlouf....Thanks to assad ,Syria became the poorest arab country with Yemen and Sudan ....after Morroco and Egypt.Syria is ranked country 96 out of 152 countries listed. Egypt is n94 and Morocco is n95

"Assad killed more palestinian than sharon and shamir" what utter rubbish. Where do you live, because it's certainly not Syria.

I hate Hafez too, but there's not a shread of truth in that. And as for Bashar - have you invented a war that he faught?

Of course people are upset about the Alawi's strength, but most people - except for you - don't seem to blame everything on that. And as I have already explained, not everyone in power is Alawi (it's mostly the security services). And Bashar is not as close to the Alawi as Hafez was.

As for Syria's wealth, you really like to pick and choose your facts don't you. That same report also said that Syria has one of the fastest growth rates in the Arab world, only slightly less than America!

That same report also said that Syria has one of the fastest growth rates in the Arab world, only slightly less than America....

Syria is not only the rich quarters of Aleppo and Damascus,these 5 % of rich and relatives of the president control 70 % of syrian resources,more than 60 % of the syrian people live with less than 100 US $/month.

Here is a good answer(http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/Joshua.M.Landis-1/syriablog/)

I beg to differ with your conclusions regarding economic growth rates in Syria. The data in the FAO report that you have quoted can be very misleading if you do not read it correctly. The growth rates calculations are made in Syrian Pounds (SL) and not in $US. Keeping in mind that the exchange rate until the early 1980s was around 3.5-4.0 SL per $US (compared to 50 S per $ since the early 1990s), so you can imagine how distorted the analysis can be if it is based on SL. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find GDP figures from the 1960s or 1970s. But I recall very well that in 1975, the per capita GDP in Syria was around US$ 1500, compared to World Bank estimates of $1160 in 2003, and this is measured in current terms, i.e. not taking inflation into consideration. So in real terms, $1500 in 1975 is equivalent to at least $3000 (probably much more) in today’s terms. Therefore, the real per capita income DECLINED by more than 60% in the past 30 years. Needless to point out that in 1975 there were very little oil revenues and Syria was still reeling from the 1973 war with Israel. It is this long-term trend that most Syrians have felt over the past few decades, particularly the middle class which has seen its purchasing power steadily decline since the early 1970s until it was almost wiped out during the hyper-inflation of the late 1980s. The relative very modest improvements in income during the 1990s may look somewhat impressive, but this is only when they are compared to the abyss rates of 1985-1990.

Assad killed more palestinian than sharon and shamir" what utter rubbish. Where do you live, because it's certainly not Syria

It was not in Syria but in the lebanese palestinian camps.

If u are so worried for the palestinians ...let us to speak about the syrian citizens Assad killed 10 000's of innocent civilians some says 100 000,15 000 missing syrians kidnapped during these last 35 years ,imagine the suffering of their mothers !!!

bashar is not more than a facade and u know that,the country is in the hand of dozen security apparatus all of them directed by alawite full of hatred toward the syrian people and their only job is to preserve the privileges of makhlouf and assad at any price...Even alawite patriots like Dr Aref Dalila and lately Mohamad Raadun are not exempt of their evil tyranny.

Hold on, hold on. You made an unsubstantiated claim that "Assad killed more palestinian than sharon and shamir". And you still have not backed it up.

Secondly, in EVERY post, you mention the Alawi dominance. Do you also look in the sky at night for aliens?

If you think that the country is 'in the hands of the security apparatus' then it's surprising that you don't support the reformers who want to undermine the 'security apparatus'.

Syria has changed so much in the last five years, whether you like to admit it or not. And that proves that the reformers are winning. Where do you live? When was the last time you were in Syria?

I agree that Hafez and his brother Rifaat killed thousands in Hama, and for that they - and all the other government and army members of the time - deserve to go on trial. But Bashar isn't Hafez. Do you want to put him on trial for the crimes of his father? Or maybe we should burn all Alawi?

sasa wrote:Or maybe we should burn all AlawiNot at allThe alawis are syrians and most of them are poor.Our problems are with the torturers and thieves not with the community.assad sectarian policy is responsible of the sectarian hatred...but i believe in the humanism of the syrian people and i'm sure that there will not be acts of vengeance toward innocent syrians.But whatever they are ,sunni,druze or alawi with syrian blood in his hands should be sent to hell.

why are u telling him where do u live , just because he has (or if it's a she) other opinions than u?Beleive me far from all people in Syria think like you about how good things are!! And they are Syrians living in Syria just like u..It's not a good manner to say to someone,with different ideas that then he must be not living in Syria, or that he is not Syrian, or even that he is working for US and Israel as many do here, the regim specially! even if his opinions are so different from yours and even if u beleive so strongly in them!And the power is divided by presidency, mukhabarat and army. And alawits are very overrepresented! And such a sectarian politics, that Bashar has'nt changed and I don't think he will, strengten the problem of secterian hatred and threatens the futur..The longer it goes on the more dangerous cause nothing stays forever, and when there will be some events or changes it might get gangerous for all of Syria.

Because most Syrians aren't obsessed with the Alawi conspiracy! We are harmonious and tolerant - Christians, Druze, Sunni, Shia'a and even Jews living together. There are very few people in Syria who want to divide - people don't say I will not go to that area because it is Christian. Lebanon is about to vote under a system where the President can only be Christian even though Christians are a quarter of the population.

Sasa wrote We are harmonious and tolerant - Christians, Druze, Sunni, Shia'a and even Jews living together.

This is the authentic spirit of Syria.If u visit the syrian old cities ,u will find churches ,mosques ,synagogues in the same street...50 years ago Dr Fares al Khoury,christian and professor at damascus university was elected twice prime minister of Syria.2 syrian presidents were ethnic kurds.

When assad bombed Hama ,city of scholars and craddle of civilization,he killed christians and moslems ,destroyed historical churches and mosques.

After 35 years of assad ,even if they resist ,the syrians are victims of sectaranism and corruption...

How can a civil servant survive with 100 or 150 US/$ ?

He has 2 options or to became corrupt or to leave the country.

what this regime hurt is our karama(dignity).They transformed damascus,the holy and conservative city in a prostitution center.Some years ago,it was a marginal problem.sasa wrote: Because most Syrians aren't obsessed with the Alawi conspiracy

Sectarianism is not our dilemma.This is inherent in assad logic.

u should point this remark to bashar and his sectarian gang.

why he elevated assef shawqat and maher al assad to 2 top posts ?why this safe conduct to his cousin makhlouf in the syrian economy?why all the heads of the security apparatus and top officers in the army belong to one small community of Syria?

such Syria is not able to develop a modern state, this sectarian gang has one objective ,to remain in power.

well if we are so obseesed with Allawi conspiracy..Why are they, in te power positions allowed to be?? They, are playing on sectarianism, they are endangering the futur of the harmony in Syria by that,so many years now, and that's a too high price just so they can stay in power and keep stealing millions with deals like Syriatel, oil,and much else.Yes we beleive in harmony, that's why we don't like when a regime act in a sectarian way! And we should'nt!It's not US obssesed. it's them..!and well said anonymous 6:36!

to all people who blam the assad regime and the baath party for all the ills they should think,syria gave them free education free health care safty not found even in the US now i ask what was thier contribution to our country ,how much taxes they paied to syria so she continue to provide the truth is syria is poorer thanother countries because we do not have as much natiral resourses and because peaple in syria do not pay taxes ,a fair tax system compsed of incom tax,about 15% after the first 50000 syrian pounds which will exempt most public servents seems reasonable in adition to sale tax with exemption of the essentials and property tax after the first home so prperty taxes will not stand in the way of home ownership the above fair taxes could help the goverment pay more to public servents so they will not need to be bribed so they can feed their children,the tax system will redistribute wealth so the midle class will expand,what syria needs are solution yes there are problems in syria but they not because the goverment does care but it is because they need to learn how to make things better by learning from oter peaple so now to every syrian look at yourself and see if there is somthing you can do for syria,for me iowe alot to syria and it,s gov i went to medical school in damascus i paied no tuition because of my grade i am now in the US ,my contribution to syria is what i send with my mother when she visets i do not think that is fair especialy that med school in this countru cost at least 200,000 dollars,there many like me unfotionaltly not all of them the gratitute ihave to syria ,please help syria do not complain and complain without trying to offer solution i would rather be in syria than in any arab country.so would you if know the diffrence

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Written by sasa

From Damascus, Syria

From Damascus to London via Beirut. Based in and out of the central Damascene hamlet of Saroujah.
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